Scott MacIntyre had a great run as a finalist on Season 8 this past year. Although he is nearly blind, Scott never let his visual impairment affect his performances.

During his time on American Idol, Scott played the piano often, and even played the guitar once. After receiving his masters degree in London, Scott learned that Idol contestants could now play musical instruments on the show, and that’s when he knew he would audition for Season 8. Scott’s musical influences are Bruce Hornsby and Billy Joel among others, and he received rave reviews from the judges while singing songs by both of these artists.

Currently, Scott is back in Los Angeles, rehearsing for the American Idol 2009 summer tour with the rest of the Top 10 finalists from Season 8. The tour kicks off on July 5th. Check out the tour locations on our Idol Nation map.

Happy Birthday, Scott!

Read Scott’s Season 8 reflections.